With UN Mountain Day coming up we thought it appropriate to highlight some of the best mountain destinations in the world to consider buying a home.
Whether you want to climb them, ski them, trek them or simply stare at them, mountains command respect and inspire wonder. For anyone thinking of buying a property abroad for holidays or even a complete relocation, the world is their oyster. You can go anywhere, do anything! So as the UN marks International Mountains Day on Sunday (11th December), how about a home in the mountains?
Spending your weekends in the wilderness: hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking or simply sitting in silent awe.
John Muir, America’s most famous and influential conservationist once said, “the mountains are calling and I must go.” If you have a calling to be amongst mountains, here are a few mountain destinations where you can live the high life.
Clear mountain air, but can you guess where?
Rocky Mountains, Canada and USA
The jagged, ice-capped peaks of Canada’s Rocky Mountains have been luring international visitors for decades. Living in the mountains are bears, moose, wolves and even mountain lions, but humans and wildlife generally get along well these days and you can enjoy the picturesque glacial lakes and some of the best outdoor recreation in the world without fear. If you live in or close to Canada’s Rocky Mountains you can be spending weekends exploring in the wilderness: hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking or simply sitting in silence in sheer awe of nature’s true beauty.
If you want to tale a property hunting trip, visit Canada’s Rockies by flying into Calgary or Vancouver – the flight takes about nine hours. Once in Canada take your pick from a train, bus or rental car to wind your way into the Rockies.
The Appalachians, USA and Canada
For most property buyers in the US, the country begins and ends with Florida and the biggest high they want to experience is the roller-coaster at Disneyworld! (Amazing fact, by the way, Florida is the size of England and Wales together, but its highest point is just 95 metres high). For those of us brought up with The Waltons, however, the authentic American dream would be sitting on the veranda on Waltons Mountains discussing the meaning of life with Grandpa. The Appalachians stretch for 1,500 miles from Alabama all the way to Newfoundland but are at their most beautiful in places like Shenandoah, Virginia and the Presidential Range in New Hampshire. Property here is surprisingly inexpensive, with good country homes with land from as little as $100,000 and easy travel arrangements back to the UK. The only potential problem, if President Trump doesn’t work out well you could be sharing your remote mountain with a lot of people!
Could you handle a home up here? Emerald Lake, Canada
Alps, Switzerland, France, Italy
Funny to think that there are such dramatic mountains with such affordable homes in them just a 90 minute flight or a few hours drive from the UK. The Alps are a playground for adventure, a muse for creation and a fertile sanctuary for wildlife. Switzerland shares the Alps with France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein; however, the tallest peaks exist within Switzerland’s border. Both summer and winter are exceptional times to discover the Alps. World-class winter sports are easily accessible and in the summer-time hiking and swimming in pristine lakes is enjoyed by many.
Pirin Mountains, Bulgaria (first picture)
You don’t have to go out of Europe to find remote mountain wildernesses where bears roam the highlands and shepherds still use fierce mountain dogs to protect their flocks from wolves. Bulgaria has all this, yet with modern new-build apartments in its splendid ski resorts from just £25,000 and a thriving community of British expats. In the ski town of Bansko, in the Pirin Mountains, a new golf course in the foothills means that you can enjoy four-seasons of fun activity, just a couple of hours from the capital Sofia.
To chat through your options or to begin thinking about how to make your dreams of moving to a mountainous region a reality, contact our Resource Team on 020 7898 0549.